Chapter 57: The Patriarch System

Ethan endured the ridiculous cartoon until it ended, and he tapped Nora on the shoulder.

"Alright, Nora. Time’s up! Let’s go study math. Mn."

He cleared his throat again, then stood up.

Nora followed him, and they both sat at the dining table. This time, Nora didn’t show much resistance towards studying.

In fact, she seemed eager to learn. After all, she had realized that retaining her memories didn’t mean she had a photographic memory. There were several things that she couldn’t remember, especially the things she’d ignored back then, one of them being her studies.

Still, with Ethan teaching her, she was starting to remember them and have a better understanding.

Ethan was also surprised by her progress, and he continuously felt proud of her. He couldn’t wait for school to resume and for her to start blowing the minds of her teachers in class.

’Well, then! Let’s polish her as much as we can.’

Today, they finally moved from algebra to another topic which Nora had forgotten about. Now that she was being taught again, though, she was having a good time remembering the formulas and how to solve the math problems.

While watching her solve a question he had tasked her to solve, he felt his phone vibrating on the table.

He picked it up and checked. It was a call from Vincent. Excusing himself from the dining room, he headed to the balcony and answered the call.

"Morning, Vincent."

The reply came quickly, and Vincent sounded a little excited. "Good morning, Ethan. I already found them!"

Ethan nodded, already expecting this. "Well, I hope they’re fine. Is Elara alright?"

"Mn," Vincent hummed in acknowledgment. "They don’t look good, though. Elara is sick and Simon seems to be starving. I’m already handling that now, though. Elara is already at the hospital taking treatment, and—wait. How do you know her name?"

Ethan’s lips parted, realizing he had slipped up. Still, he smiled and said, "If I don’t even know their names, how would I know they’re related to you? I’m not so clueless, son."

Vincent fell silent and dispelled his suspicion. He casually continued. "As I was saying, I had the doctor draft a diet plan for Simon so he can get better. Haa... I’m really relieved."

Smiling, Ethan congratulated him, "That’s good. Now that you’ve found them, you should take proper care of them. At least you won’t sound so stiff anymore. Also, you should quit smoking."

"That... it’s not related to what we’re saying, right? Let’s forget it." Vincent hurriedly dodged the topic.

Ethan didn’t mind, as there was something else on his mind. "Have you checked what happened with Elara?"

"Mn," Vincent hummed. "It’s just malaria, but I’m making sure they treat her perfectly. Nothing must happen to a single hair on her head."

Ethan shook his head and laughed. "Alright, family guy. You should go stay with her some more."

"Yeah, you’re right." Vincent sighed. "Thank you, Ethan. Without you, I might have never found them. I don’t know how to express my gratitude, but if you need anything in the future, please let me know."

Ethan nodded. "I’ll remember that. Good luck, family man."

After dropping the call, he prepared to head inside when the system screen popped up again.

[Ding! Your influence is spreading!]

[Personal Missions Unlocked!]

[Personal Mission 1: Help a family get together (✓)]

[Personal Mission 2: Help a family resolve a dispute ( )]

[Personal Mission 3: |LOCKED|]

Staring at the messages, Ethan felt stumped.

[You have completed your first mission!]

[Receive Reward: $1,000,000]

[Bonus reward for early completion: 10% Shares in the Gnomes Movie Industry]

’Eh... this is?’

Being a useful aide that it was, the system explained to him.

[I will explain to you, Host. I am not just a Family System, but a Patriarch System. A Patriarch’s influence goes beyond the immediate family. Your own reputation matters greatly, which will determine the reputation of your family. This is why you must make a name for yourself.]

Ethan slowly nodded, digesting the information. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t surprised. After all, he hadn’t thought much of the system before. He had simply thought of it as something that gave him random tasks regarding his family, with rewards attached to them.

Only now did he understand that it wasn’t just that. The Patriarch System actually had a larger goal in mind for him.

As someone of high status in his life as Victor, he wasn’t overwhelmed by the new goal. Instead, he only felt that it was fitting.

’Looks like I can’t remain hidden for long, hm? Reputation...’

His eyes narrowed.

......

Meanwhile, Evelyn and Cassandra were at the shop, chatting idly while on the lookout for potential customers.

"Your husband didn’t come today. Did he go to work?" Cassandra asked.

Shaking her head, Evelyn’s expression soured. "No, it’s not that. He’s just feeling a little unwell. He got drenched in the rain yesterday, after all."

"Ah? That’s awful. Why did he go out in the rain, though? He doesn’t seem to be the type to stay out late." Cassandra frowned a little, concerned.

Smiling wryly, Evelyn explained. "It was Nora who acted like a brat and said she didn’t want to eat what he prepared. So he had to go out and get the ingredients for what she wanted. Then, the rain happened."

"Ah..." Cassandra’s lips twitched. "Well, at least he’s nice. My dad would have force-fed me with the food I refused. Haha."

Evelyn laughed a little too, then checked her phone to see a call coming in. Her smile dimmed slightly, and she answered the call.

"Hello, Cassie. It’s been a while."

Cassie replied quickly. "Hello, Eve. It has surely been a while. I heard you moved out of your house. Why didn’t you tell me?"

Evelyn smiled apologetically, but suddenly frowned. "Who told you we moved out? My dad?"

Cassie went silent, then answered awkwardly. "Your dad? No, not him. I visited you guys yesterday and saw that you weren’t there anymore. Your neighbors told me you moved out."

"Oh..." Evelyn nodded, no longer suspicious. "Sorry I didn’t tell you. It just happened a little too fast."

Cassie laughed lightly and said, "No, it’s fine. I’m really happy for you. Just text me your location. I’ll visit you soon, alright?"

Evelyn smiled and nodded, completely unaware that she was just handing Cassie exactly what she wanted.